A London Season
Bell's first original novel and a representative starting point for her authored fiction.
Author guide
Anthea Bell Books in Order
Anthea Bell (1936–2018) was an English translator, adapter, and writer. Alongside her extensive translation career, she authored a monograph, original fiction, and numerous adaptations and retellings for children, including fairy tales, classic literature, and picture books.
literary nonfictionhistorical fictionchildren's literaturefairy-tale retellingspicture books
Catalog record updated .
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Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (3)
- E. Nesbit
nonfiction · 1960
- A London Season
novel · 1983
- The Floral Companion
novel · 1988
Children's books (1)
- The Great Menagerie
picture-book · 1979
Other (17)
- Sandman in the Lighthouse
adaptation · 1969
- The Nutcracker and the Mouse-King
adaptation · 1983
- The Little Mermaid
adaptation · 1984
- The Strange Child
adaptation · 1984
A magical being comes into the unhappy lives of a brother and sister, leading them into a world of fantasy and adventure.
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
adaptation · 1985
Retells the tale of the beautiful princess whose lips were red as blood, skin was white as snow, and hair was as black as ebony.
- The Emperor's New Clothes
retelling · 1986
- Swan Lake: A Traditional Folktale
retelling · 1986
- The Wise Queen
retelling · 1986
- The Old House
adaptation · 1986
A little boy befriends the lonely old man who lives with his mementos in the wonderful old house across the street.
- The Snow Queen
adaptation · 1987
After the Snow Queen abducts her friend Kay, Gerda sets out on a perilous and magical journey to find him.
- Little Daylight
adaptation · 1987
- Operation Britain
book · 1987
- The Goose Girl
adaptation · 1988
On her way to marry a distant Prince, a young Princess is forced to trade places with her evil waiting-maid and becomes a goose girl instead of a bride when she reaches her destination.
- Jack in Luck
retelling · 1991
- David Copperfield
adaptation · 1995
- Goldilocks and the Three Bears
adaptation · 1995
- Jack and the Beanstalk: An English Fairy Tale
retelling · 2000
Frequently asked questions about Anthea Bell
Who was Anthea Bell?
Anthea Bell (1936–2018) was an English literary translator who translated French, German, and Danish works into English for both children and adults. She became especially known for her translations of Asterix, Kafka, and W. G. Sebald.
Sources: some.ox.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)us.macmillan.com (opens in a new tab)
How did Anthea Bell become a translator?
She entered translation almost by chance after the German publisher Klaus Flugge asked her husband to recommend someone for Otfried Preussler’s children’s book Der kleine Wassermann. Bell translated it as The Little Water Sprite, published in 1960.
What influenced Anthea Bell’s love of languages and wordplay?
Her father, Adrian Bell, was a writer and the first Times cryptic-crossword setter, while her grandfather’s collection of classical books helped spark her interest in world literature. She also developed her knowledge of French and German at boarding school.
Sources: some.ox.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)theguardian.com (opens in a new tab)
Why are Anthea Bell’s Asterix translations famous?
Working with Derek Hockridge, Bell recreated the French comics’ humor and wordplay for English readers rather than translating jokes literally. Her choices included renaming Idéfix as Dogmatix and Panoramix as Getafix.
Sources: theguardian.com (opens in a new tab)some.ox.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)
What awards did Anthea Bell receive, and how is her legacy continued?
Bell was appointed OBE in 2010 and received Germany’s Cross of Merit in 2015; she also won numerous literary translation awards. Her contribution is commemorated by the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators, created to encourage young language learners and translators.
Sources: some.ox.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)queens.ox.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)